A Romance Author’s way to Deal with Life, Illness and All That Other Stuff

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Ernest Hemingway said, “There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.”

When you are chronically ill, writing can feel exactly like that. I suffer from Fibromyalgia. If you have never heard of this disease, it is a chronic illness that causes widespread pain and heighten pain responses to pressure. This affects sleep, memory…basically life. It hurts to be hugged and exhaustion is how I go through life. That makes doing everything a challenge.

Writing while chronically ill proves to be a challenge. Through trial and error—or should I say pain and triumph—I have found a few things that help me keep writing my historical romance novels.

No doubt you heard the advice that everyone throws around—Find balance. If you’re like me you just nod and think whatever. But it is good advice. So, how do you accomplish it? How did I accomplish it? First I made a list divided into three sections: Needs, Wants and Everything Else. This can be hard and easy at the same time because you must look at your life. You may include family, writing, caring for a parent, work, chores etc. Include everything you do in day, week and month.

Now that you have examined your daily life, you can decide what to cut, keep and spend more time on then you have to plan. Determine what gets your energy and time. I’m not saying you have to have every minute planned. I don’t. That would drive me crazy. But I know that I have to have two hours for social media or three hours to write and in my day I spend my time on that. Right now, I’m editing my fourth novel Highland Scandal so I know I have to do ten pages a day to meet my deadline. I’m also writing a new historical romance so I have daily word count so I can reach the deadline I set for myself. I mark this all down in my calendar that I printed from the computer.

Now that I have a plan, how do I accomplish my goals?

I have tricks. I tried dictation programs but I didn’t like them so I sometimes sit at my desk, other times, I have a pen and paper and write it by hand as I lay in bed recouping my energy. I can write fifteen minutes here and there or an hour or more. This works for me. Find works for you. Maybe an app on the phone or something else. You know what works for you and what doesn’t. Use the tools that are available.

The next step is something we find a hardship: asking for help. You are not weak by doing this. People love you and will help. We can believe that we must do everything and that is foolish. You are not a failure if you need help.

This worked for me and it may help you whether you are a parent, caregiver or just crazy with work. Just remember that some days, you may falter and that’s okay. There is always tomorrow. Just never give up or give in. There is always a way to accomplish your dream.

About Megeela

An Air Force brat, Mageela Troche has lived throughout the world then landed in New York City. She wanted to leave the same day she arrived. Yet, with her stubbornness, Mageela learned to like the place and the libraries were the main reason. Since she was a little girl, Mageela wanted to be an author and an actress, however, once in college, she changed her life plan in the pursuit of money. After all, college loans must be repaid.

With life’s twists and turns, she returned to writing and focused on the romance genre. Mageela Troche’s first break came when she sold a short story to a magazine. She sold two more before the publication of her historical romance novel, The Marriage Alliance. She has gone on to write four more novels and a novella.Mageela is currently writing in the cramped corner of her Big Apple apartment. She is the proud owner of a Black-masked lovebird named Boobula. She loves to hear from her readers and can be found online at MageelaTroche.com